Dubai: Etihad Airways' capital intensive strategy of purchasing minority stakes in other airlines to expand its network is also helping it fill highly sought-after positions.
Etihad is currently employing “almost 200” pilots on a secondment basis from equity airlines, it said in an emailed statement on Sunday.
It is widely accepted airlines are expanding much faster than the number of necessary skilled workers needed in the industry.
In July 2014, manufacturer Boeing increased its 20 years forecast for global demand for commercial airlines by 7 per cent to 533,000. This includes 55,000 needed in the Middle East, partially due to the rapid expansion plans of the regions major airlines Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Etihad has been employing pilots from its equity airlines since April 2013 when the first batch of Air Berlin pilots joined the airline on secondment, according to Sunday’s statement.
It now employs 52 pilots from Air Berlin, and a further six from subsidiary NIKI, 41 from Alitalia, a further 25 from subsidiary City Liner, and 63 from Jet Airways.
In September 2014, Etihad President and Chief Executive James Hogan said the airline would hire more than 120 Alitalia pilots as part of its €1.758 billion (Dh7.17 billion) investment to take a 49 per cent stake in the airline.
16/08/15 Alexander Cornwell/Gulf News
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Etihad is currently employing “almost 200” pilots on a secondment basis from equity airlines, it said in an emailed statement on Sunday.
It is widely accepted airlines are expanding much faster than the number of necessary skilled workers needed in the industry.
In July 2014, manufacturer Boeing increased its 20 years forecast for global demand for commercial airlines by 7 per cent to 533,000. This includes 55,000 needed in the Middle East, partially due to the rapid expansion plans of the regions major airlines Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Etihad has been employing pilots from its equity airlines since April 2013 when the first batch of Air Berlin pilots joined the airline on secondment, according to Sunday’s statement.
It now employs 52 pilots from Air Berlin, and a further six from subsidiary NIKI, 41 from Alitalia, a further 25 from subsidiary City Liner, and 63 from Jet Airways.
In September 2014, Etihad President and Chief Executive James Hogan said the airline would hire more than 120 Alitalia pilots as part of its €1.758 billion (Dh7.17 billion) investment to take a 49 per cent stake in the airline.
16/08/15 Alexander Cornwell/Gulf News
